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Attendance Policies

Regular attendance is essential for a child's success in school. It is also a requirement established by the State of California under the California State Education Code and the Administrative Code, Title V. Some key excerpts from these sources are:

  • Students shall attend school punctually and regularly. (A.C. Title V, Section 62)
  • Students shall be required to provide validation of absences for health reasons. (A.C. Title V, Section 306)
  • Students shall remain on the school grounds during the entire school day unless granted permission to leave by authorized personnel. (A.C. Title V, Section 63)

If your child has been ill or running a fever the night before a school day, please do not send your child to school until his or her temperature has been normal for at least 24 hours. A note should accompany your child upon their return to school. If your child is absent due to illness for more than 3 days, a doctor's note must be provided upon his/her return to school.

Absence Reporting

If your child is going to be absent from school, please call the attendance line at (408) 423-3305 and provide the following information:

  1. Student's name.
  2. Teacher's name and/or room number or grade.
  3. Date of absence.
  4. Reason for absence (illness, family emergency, medical appointments, etc.).
  5. Caller's name and relationship to student.
  6. Phone number where you can be reached during the day.

Excused Absences

(Per the California Ed. Code:)

  • Illness (after 3 days, need medical verification)
  • Medical/Dental Appointment (note required from MD/Dentist)
  • Religious observance
  • Bereavement (immediate family only)

Unexcused Absences/Tardies

  • Out of town
  • Went to stay with Mom or Dad
  • Parent was Ill
  • Missed the Bus/Car Trouble
  • Family vacation

Changing Schools

Students moving to a new location outside of the Don Callejon School attendance area must notify the main office one week in advance. The student should bring a note from a parent or guardian stating where they will be attending school. The student should be prepared to return all textbooks and school materials and, if applicable, pay any necessary fines for lost or damaged materials. A clearance sheet must be signed by each of the student's teachers and the librarian, and returned to the main office prior to leaving.

Changing Student Information

If you change address or phone numbers, or if you go on vacation and leave your student under the temporary care of someone other than their legal guardian, please notify the main office.

Early Sign-out

If a child is to leave before regular dismissal time, the parent or guardian must sign out the child in the office. Your child will only be released to those listed on the Emergency Card. Do not go to the classroom to get your child. You must wait in the office until your child reports there.

Please do not interrupt your child’s education unless it is an extreme emergency. Medical appointments should be made after school or as late in the school day as possible.

Illness or Injury

The nurse's office is located in Don Callejon's main office. Students must get a pass from a teacher to go to the nurse's office except in cases of extreme illness or injury. The nurse, health clerk, or other office staff will determine whether a student needs to go home and contact the parent or guardian or a person listed on the student's Emergency Card. In case of a serious accident or injury on campus, emergency personnel will be contacted to administer medical aid to students, and parents or guardians will be notified immediately. It is important that you inform the office of any special student health concerns.

Leaving or Returning During the School Day

Don Callejon School is a closed campus throughout the entire school day. Students may not leave campus for any reason during the school day without a parent or guardian. This includes arrival to school in the morning. Once students arrive at school in the morning, either on the bus or by other means, they may not leave school to go to Rivermark Shopping Center or other destinations. Parents wanting to take students out of class for any reason should report to the school office, where staff will retrieve the student. Students will then be allowed to leave the campus with their parent or guardian for the appointment. Students returning from an appointment must first check in with the office.

Long-Term Excused Absences

Parents should work with their child’s teacher(s) to request and pick up any assignments which were missed during a long-term excused absence.

Passes and Call Slips

When leaving a classroom, students must have a PASS, signed by the teacher, showing permission to be out of class. The pass is also to be signed by the person in charge of the room to which the student is going. Call SLIPS are sent to students, asking them to come to a specified classroom or to the office at a specified time.

Tardy Policy

It is essential for students’ education and learning that they are at school on time.

Grades K–5

Students who arrive to class after 8:15 AM will be marked tardy. Students arriving to school between 8:15 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. should go directly to their classroom. The teacher will mark them tardy. Students arriving after 8:30 a.m. must report to the office for a tardy pass. Students who arrive to school after 8:40 a.m. are considered truant for the school day.

Grades 6–8

Students who are tardy to school must pick up a pass in the office before going to their first class. School policy states a student is tardy to any class if they are not in their seat when the tardy (second) bell rings.

  • The first and second tardy to any class period may receive a warning from the teacher (at the teacher's discretion).
  • The third tardy may result in a teacher-assigned detention to be served in the teacher's classroom.
  • The fourth tardy may result in a teacher-assigned detention to be served in the teacher's classroom and the teacher may contact the parent.
  • The fifth and each subsequent tardy may result in an office referral for an Administrative Detention, Saturday School or Suspension.

Note: If the student is a "no show" to a teacher-assigned detention, the teacher may choose either to write an office referral or reschedule the detention with the student.

Travel/long-term unexcused absence

We discourage students being removed from school for extended vacations. School is important and it is difficult to catch up with missed schoolwork. If a family takes several vacations throughout the year, it will become a truancy issue.

Truancy

During the school day the Santa Clara Police Department will pick up students who are off campus without proper permission forms. The Board of Education of the Santa Clara Unified School District recognizes the value of regular attendance in enabling students to profit from the school program. To meet special needs of students with chronic school attendance and/or behavioral problems, the Santa Clara Unified School District declares that habitual truants are willfully defying the valid authority of school administrators and shall be subject to disciplinary action.